Kalshi Politics — Mispricing Audit (Anchor, NO-side structural)

Report date 2026-09-21 · strategy Anchor · audit_version anchor · category focus Politics · horizon 45 days · capital $2,500 · run kalshi-anchor-politics-q9v2r

1. Summary

0picks
37logged rejects
$0allocated
100%cash
7Stage-2 markets
Zero picks is the result, and it is the correct one. The 45-day Politics slate contains no market where the NO side can be bought inside the Anchor entry band (60–89¢). Every departure, merger, IPO-timing and status-quo market that survived the mechanical cuts is already priced at 90–95¢ on the NO side (deep-favorite band, no edge on the record), and the one live event decision — the Bank of Canada on Oct 28 — sits at 58¢ NO with a model number inside the market's own spread. Cash is the position.

Sources for the news diligence are named on each card. All prices are live Kalshi public-API quotes taken 2026-09-21 ~17:00–18:00Z; bare-cent fields are null on this API, so *_dollars/*_fp fields were read throughout.

2. Universe (Stage 0)

Candidate universe = targets.json (generated 2026-09-21T16:38Z, min OI 5,000): 117 distinct series (Tier 1: 74, Tier 2: 46), 907 open markets fetched from the public API. 809 markets close beyond the 45-day horizon. The horizon and the 7-day rule were applied on the earlier of close_time and expected_expiration_time, because Kalshi's "before Oct 1 / Nov 1" rungs carry a placeholder expiration months after the real close (e.g. KXKASHOUT-26JUL-26NOV01 closes Nov 1 but expects expiration Jan 8, 2027); reading only the expiration field would have hidden 40+ in-horizon markets.

Mechanical cuts within horizon: volume24h < 500 (26), inside 7 days (12), close more than 1h after expiration (8, incl. the impeachment ladder and California ballot measures whose expiration field predates their close), YES ask ≤ 5¢ (15), spread > 5¢ (2), Mentions market (1), continuous-number market (Suez weekly transit ladder, 2 legs that had passed the numeric cuts). Eight markets reached Stage 2; the Suez pair was rejected there as continuous-number before diligence, leaving seven researched.

Existing pick KXCRYPTOSTRUCTURE-26JAN-OCT (NO) is not in the allowlist and did not appear as a candidate.

3. Picks

None. No Stage-2 survivor cleared the side rule, band rule and continuation-tail rule together. Position-size, limit, EV-for-the-record and execution tables are therefore empty; the risk profile is 100% cash, reserve $2,500 (≥10% requirement trivially met).

4. Stage-2 rejects (researched; side, price and probability logged for the passed-on scoreboard)

NO @ 93¢REJECTdeparture/oustermechanism: status-quo

Kash Patel out as FBI Director before Nov 1, 2026?

KXKASHOUT-26JUL-26NOV01 · closes 2026-11-01 04:59Z · YES 7/8¢ · vol24h 540 · OI 30,349 · depth at limit 27 contracts · cluster patel-fbi-exit
YES condition
For YES to pay, Patel must actually vacate the FBI Director role (not announce) before Nov 1, 2026 04:59Z; Kalshi settles on the departure date.
Probability (for YES)
5% pre-market → 5% final. Market implies 7–8%.
Vehicle / calendar
None. Patel gave five hours of Senate Judiciary testimony as sitting Director on Sep 15, 2026 (Washington Post, CBS); no replacement named. Precedent KXKASHOUT-26APR-JUN01/JUL01 both settled NO after a far hotter news cycle.
Cleanest losing tail
A new discrete event: Trump fires him or he resigns with an effective date before Nov 1. Requires an affirmative White House act; none in motion.
Precedents consulted
KXKASHOUT-26APR-JUN01 (NO), KXKASHOUT-26APR-JUL01 (NO), KXLUTNICKOUT-26JUL01 (NO), KXTRUMPADMINLEAVE-26DEC31-TGAB (YES — settles on actual last day)
Reject
deep-favorite band: NO costs 93¢ (YES 7/8); Patel testified as sitting Director on Sep 15 and no successor is floated, so NO is right but the 90¢+ cohort showed no edge
NO @ 58¢REJECTscheduled-processmechanism: status-quo

Bank of Canada hikes 25bps at Oct 28, 2026 meeting?

KXCBDECISIONCANADA-26OCT-H25 · closes 2026-10-28 13:29Z · YES 42/43¢ · vol24h 945 · OI 27,349 · depth at limit 5 contracts · cluster boc-oct28-decision
YES condition
For YES to pay, Governing Council must raise the overnight target from 2.25% to 2.50% at the fixed Oct 28, 2026 announcement, resolved on the Bank of Canada release.
Probability (for YES)
38% pre-market → 40% final. Market implies 42–43%.
Vehicle / calendar
Scheduled: Oct 28 decision with MPR. Sep 2 hold (7th straight) with Macklem: "prepared to raise interest rates, and if it takes more than one increase, we are prepared to do that" (BoC press conference Sep 2; CBC). OIS narrowly favours a hike (BNN Bloomberg Sep 18); Capital Economics, RBC, Desjardins call an October hold, "a close call". Fed hiked 25bp unanimously Sep 16. Next CPI ~Oct 20 and BOS ~Oct 19 land before the meeting.
Cleanest losing tail
Losing tail for NO = the Bank hikes on Oct 28. That is a discrete decision, not a drifting quantity, but a hot Oct 20 CPI print would make it the modal path — the pick has no cushion at 58¢.
Precedents consulted
KXCBDECISIONCANADA-26JUN-H25 (NO), 26JUL-H25 (NO), 26SEP-H25 (NO; store note: "OIS ~60% hike for Oct, Bank's own modal path is hold when trim/median 1.9–2.0%"), KXFEDDECISION-26JUL-H25 (NO after 11%→38% repricing)
Reject
below band: NO costs 58¢ (YES 42/43) and the Anchor band starts at 60¢; model 40% hike vs market 42-43% is inside the no-trade band anyway
YES @ 59¢REJECTscheduled-processmechanism: —

Bank of Canada holds (hike of 0bps) at Oct 28, 2026 meeting?

KXCBDECISIONCANADA-26OCT-H0 · closes 2026-10-28 13:29Z · YES 57/59¢ · vol24h 478 · OI 26,948 · depth at limit 7 contracts · cluster boc-oct28-decision
YES condition
For YES to pay, the Bank of Canada must leave the overnight target at 2.25% on Oct 28, 2026.
Probability (for YES)
58% pre-market → 57% final. Market implies 57–59%.
Vehicle / calendar
As H25.
Cleanest losing tail
As H25, inverted.
Precedents consulted
KXCBDECISIONCANADA-26JUN-H0 (YES), 26JUL-H0 (YES), KXFEDDECISION-26JUL-H0 (YES)
Reject
volume24h 478 < 500 floor (Stage-0 mechanical); would also fail the side rule — the hold leg is a YES buy whose thesis is "status quo", which Anchor only expresses as NO on the hike leg
NO @ 90¢REJECTcorporate-eventmechanism: no-vehicle

Tesla–SpaceX definitive merger agreement announced before Nov 1, 2026?

KXCOMPANYACTIONMERGER-27-26NOV01 · closes 2026-11-01 04:59Z · YES 10/11¢ · vol24h 2,461 · OI 78,232 · depth at limit 459 contracts · cluster tesla-spacex-merger
YES condition
For YES to pay, Tesla or SpaceX must officially announce a definitive, binding combination agreement via press release/SEC filing/verified channel before Nov 1, 2026 04:59Z; rumours, "exploring", and Musk musings without a signed agreement do not count (rules_secondary).
Probability (for YES)
7% pre-market → 7% final. Market implies 10–11%.
Vehicle / calendar
None. Musk "hinted again" at the All-In Summit on Sep 15, 2026 (Yahoo Finance/Benzinga); Wedbush puts odds at 80% within 18 months; no company confirmation of talks, no filing. A definitive agreement between a ~$1T public company and a newly public SpaceX inside 40 days with no reported board process is a discrete, unsignalled event.
Cleanest losing tail
A surprise definitive-agreement announcement. Requires a new discrete event (signed agreement + 8-K). Not a continuation tail.
Precedents consulted
No series rows. Corporate-event archetype: KXIPOANTHROPIC-DATE-26JUN01/JUL01 (NO) — "filed"/"exploring" ≠ the mechanical trigger; KXIPO-26-SPACEX (settled Jun 15, 2026).
Reject
deep-favorite band: NO costs 90¢ (YES 10/11). No vehicle exists (no 8-K, no board approval reported) but max win ≤ 11% of risk and the 90¢+ cohort showed no edge
NO @ 95¢REJECTcorporate-eventmechanism: status-quo

Anthropic officially confirms IPO (S-1 effective / priced / ticker) before Nov 1, 2026?

KXIPOANTHROPIC-DATE-26NOV01 · closes 2026-11-01 04:59Z · YES 5/6¢ · vol24h 19,770 · OI 88,727 · depth at limit 280 contracts · cluster anthropic-ipo-timing
YES condition
For YES to pay, before Nov 1, 2026 the SEC must declare Anthropic's S-1 effective, OR the IPO must price, OR an exchange must assign a ticker (rules_secondary).
Probability (for YES)
8% pre-market → 8% final. Market implies 5–6%.
Vehicle / calendar
WSJ (Sep 18, 2026; via Investing.com/Yahoo/PYMNTS) — IPO pushed from October to November so Q3 results can be shown before pricing; Reuters (Sep 5) had public S-1 late Sept, marketing mid-Oct. Effectiveness normally lands the evening before pricing, i.e. November. Residual YES risk: an exchange reserving/assigning the ticker when the public S-1 flips in October.
Cleanest losing tail
Losing tail for NO = ticker assigned or S-1 declared effective in October despite a November pricing. That is a discrete resolver-trigger event, not a trend; it is the whole reason 95¢ is not free.
Precedents consulted
KXIPOANTHROPIC-DATE-26JUN01 (NO), 26JUL01 (NO — confidential draft S-1 is not a trigger), 26SEP01 store note (Sep 18: NOV01 52/53¢ vs Polymarket 54.5%; "only a dated S-1 public flip or a r…" moves it).
Reject
deep-favorite band: NO costs 95¢ (YES 5/6). The Sep 18 WSJ report moved pricing to November and the market already repriced 54¢→8¢ that day; the residual is the ticker-assignment trigger, not enough at 95¢
NO @ 95¢REJECTmulti-news-othermechanism: status-quo

Max Miller out as U.S. Representative before Nov 3, 2026?

KXMILLEROUT-26JUL-26NOV03 · closes 2026-11-03 04:59Z · YES 5/6¢ · vol24h 1,038 · OI 50,245 · depth at limit 3 contracts · cluster miller-oh7-exit
YES condition
For YES to pay, Miller must actually vacate his House seat before Nov 3, 2026 04:59Z (resignation, expulsion, removal).
Probability (for YES)
4% pre-market → 4% final. Market implies 5–6%.
Vehicle / calendar
None. Ohio GOP ballot-replacement window closed Aug 9, 2026 with Miller staying in (Washington Post, CNBC, Axios); he introduced a VA-clinic naming bill in September (maxmiller.house.gov). An expulsion requires a two-thirds House vote for which no resolution is scheduled; resignation would forfeit the seat the party cannot re-fill on the ballot.
Cleanest losing tail
Voluntary resignation under pressure (a new discrete act) or an ethics/expulsion vote. Neither is on any calendar.
Precedents consulted
No series rows; departure precedents KXKASHOUT/KXHEGSETHOUT/KXLUTNICKOUT (all NO under scandal without a successor).
Reject
deep-favorite band: NO costs 95¢ (YES 5/6). Miller stayed on the ballot after the GOP replacement window closed Aug 9 and is legislating in September; nothing in motion, but no edge at 95¢
NO @ 88¢REJECTmulti-news-othermechanism: —

Trump publicly criticizes Kevin Warsh before Nov 1, 2026?

KXDJTATTACKWARSH-26SEP-26NOV01 · closes 2026-11-01 04:59Z · YES 12/15¢ · vol24h 597 · OI 21,666 · depth at limit 83 contracts · cluster trump-warsh-mentions
YES condition
For YES to pay, Trump personally must make a statement explicitly expressing disapproval of Warsh by name or clear reference before Nov 1, 2026.
Probability (for YES)
20% pre-market → 20% final. Market implies 12–15%.
Vehicle / calendar
n/a (mentions market)
Cleanest losing tail
Any off-the-cuff remark — a resolver-discretion coin flip on wording.
Precedents consulted
None for series; Mentions markets excluded by rule.
Reject
Mentions market ("will X say Y") — excluded by Stage 0 whatever the category; noted for the record: Trump said Sep 16–17 he "still has confidence" in Warsh and told him to vote for the hike (CNBC, Townhall), so NO ~80% but a single sentence flips it

Stage-2 reject table

TickerArchetypeSide / costP(YES)YES bid/askvol24hOIRule
KXKASHOUT-26JUL-26NOV01departure/ousterNO 93¢5%7/854030,349deep-favorite band
KXCBDECISIONCANADA-26OCT-H25scheduled-processNO 58¢40%42/4394527,349below band
KXCBDECISIONCANADA-26OCT-H0scheduled-processYES 59¢57%57/5947826,948volume24h 478 < 500 floor (Stage-0 mechanical); would also fail the side rule — the hold leg is a YES buy whose thesis is "status quo", which Anchor only expresses as NO on the hike leg
KXCOMPANYACTIONMERGER-27-26NOV01corporate-eventNO 90¢7%10/112,46178,232deep-favorite band
KXIPOANTHROPIC-DATE-26NOV01corporate-eventNO 95¢8%5/619,77088,727deep-favorite band
KXMILLEROUT-26JUL-26NOV03multi-news-otherNO 95¢4%5/61,03850,245deep-favorite band
KXDJTATTACKWARSH-26SEP-26NOV01multi-news-otherNO 88¢20%12/1559721,666Mentions market ("will X say Y") — excluded by Stage 0 whatever the category; noted for the record

5. Cluster table

ClusterLegs consideredDeployed legStatus
patel-fbi-exitKXKASHOUT-26JUL-26NOV01—all legs rejected
boc-oct28-decisionKXCBDECISIONCANADA-26OCT-H25, KXCBDECISIONCANADA-26OCT-H0—all legs rejected
tesla-spacex-mergerKXCOMPANYACTIONMERGER-27-26NOV01—all legs rejected
anthropic-ipo-timingKXIPOANTHROPIC-DATE-26NOV01—all legs rejected
miller-oh7-exitKXMILLEROUT-26JUL-26NOV03—all legs rejected
trump-warsh-mentionsKXDJTATTACKWARSH-26SEP-26NOV01—all legs rejected

The two Bank of Canada legs share a cluster; had either been deployable, only one would have been.

6. Stage-0 mechanical rejects (within horizon, notable volume)

TickerMarketArchetypeSide / costYES bid/askvol24hReason
KXSUEZWEEKLY-26SEP27-T260Will there be more than 260 transit calls through the Suez Canal from legal-actionNO 18¢82/831,004continuous-number market: cumulative Sep 21–27 Suez transit count from IMF PortWatch (store: ten-week mean ~291, sd ~4.6); misfiled as legal-action, out of Anchor scope on both sides
KXSUEZWEEKLY-26SEP27-T270Will there be more than 270 transit calls through the Suez Canal from legal-actionNO 42¢58/591,688continuous-number market: cumulative Sep 21–27 Suez transit count from IMF PortWatch (store: ten-week mean ~291, sd ~4.6); misfiled as legal-action, out of Anchor scope on both sides
KXRETIREMM-26Will Mitch McConnell resign his office early?departure/ousterNO 96¢4/448,421YES ask 4¢ ≤ 5¢ (Stage-0 rule); NO side would be ≥95¢ = deep-favorite band
KXCAWEALTHTAX-26Will a one-time tax on billionaires ballot initiative in California paconfirmation/enactNO 67¢33/348,911close after expiration: close_time is >1h after expected_expiration_time (Stage-0 rule)
KXRETIREPELOSI-26Will Nancy Pelosi resign her office early?departure/ousterNO 98¢2/310,061YES ask 3¢ ≤ 5¢ (Stage-0 rule); NO side would be ≥95¢ = deep-favorite band
KXKASHOUT-26JUL-26OCT01Will Kash Patel be out as FBI Director before Oct 1, 2026?departure/ousterNO 98¢2/32,638YES ask 3¢ ≤ 5¢ (Stage-0 rule); NO side would be ≥95¢ = deep-favorite band
KXLOCALLAW-CAAANG-26OCT01Will the Anaheim Angels naming bill become law?confirmation/enactNO 99¢1/23,961YES ask 2¢ ≤ 5¢ (Stage-0 rule); NO side would be ≥95¢ = deep-favorite band
KXGALLEGOOUT-26APR-NOV03Will Ruben Gallego be out as Senator before Nov 3, 2026?departure/ousterNO 96¢4/6383volume24h 383 < 500 floor (Stage-0 rule)
KXLEAVEMERZ-29JAN01-26OCT01Will Friedrich Merz leave Chancellor of Germany before Oct 1, 2026?departure/ousterNO 98¢2/31,943YES ask 3¢ ≤ 5¢ (Stage-0 rule); NO side would be ≥95¢ = deep-favorite band
KXLEAVEMERZ-29JAN01-26NOV01Will Friedrich Merz leave Chancellor of Germany before Nov 1, 2026?departure/ousterNO 94¢6/32923spread 26¢ > 5¢ (Stage-0 rule)
KXSUEZWEEKLY-26SEP20-T280Will there be more than 280 transit calls through the Suez Canal from legal-actionNO 65¢35/36118continuous-number market: cumulative weekly transit count (IMF PortWatch); misfiled as legal-action
KXCAVOTERID-26Will the 2026 California Voter ID initiative pass?confirmation/enactNO 75¢25/30287close after expiration: close_time is >1h after expected_expiration_time (Stage-0 rule)
KXMAMDANIEO-26SEP26-T0Will Mamdani sign above 0 executive orders between Sep 20, 2026 and Seconfirmation/enactNO 83¢17/187,395inside 7d; also continuous-number market (executive-order count)
KXLEAVEMILLS-26NOV03Will Cory Mills leave the House before the midterms?departure/ousterNO 90¢10/16505spread 6¢ > 5¢ (Stage-0 rule)
KXUSAIRANAGREEMENT-27-26NOVWill the US agree to a new Iranian nuclear deal this year?scheduled-processNO 97¢3/488,881YES ask 4¢ ≤ 5¢ (Stage-0 rule); NO side would be ≥95¢ = deep-favorite band
KXUSAIRANAGREEMENT-27-26OCTWill the US agree to a new Iranian nuclear deal this year?scheduled-processNO 100¢0/132,149YES ask 1¢ ≤ 5¢ (Stage-0 rule); NO side would be ≥95¢ = deep-favorite band
KXIPOANTHROPIC-DATE-26OCT24When will Anthropic officially announce an IPO?corporate-eventNO 99¢1/21,298YES ask 2¢ ≤ 5¢ (Stage-0 rule); NO side would be ≥95¢ = deep-favorite band
KXIPOANTHROPIC-DATE-26OCT10When will Anthropic officially announce an IPO?corporate-eventNO 100¢0/2305volume24h 305 < 500 floor (Stage-0 rule)
KXIPOANTHROPIC-DATE-26OCT01When will Anthropic officially announce an IPO?corporate-eventNO 100¢0/12,150YES ask 1¢ ≤ 5¢ (Stage-0 rule); NO side would be ≥95¢ = deep-favorite band
KXCOMPANYACTIONMERGER-27-26OCT01Will Tesla or SpaceX announce a definitive, binding agreement for Teslcorporate-eventNO 100¢0/131,405YES ask 1¢ ≤ 5¢ (Stage-0 rule); NO side would be ≥95¢ = deep-favorite band
KXDJTATTACKWARSH-26SEP-26OCT01Will Trump publicly criticize Kevin Warsh before Oct 1, 2026?multi-news-otherNO 99¢1/2453volume24h 453 < 500 floor (Stage-0 rule)
KXHEGSETHOUT-26AUG-26DEC01Will Pete Hegseth be out as Secretary of Defense before Dec 1, 2026?multi-news-otherNO 78¢22/252,899close after expiration: close_time is >1h after expected_expiration_time (Stage-0 rule)
KXHEGSETHOUT-26AUG-26NOV01Will Pete Hegseth be out as Secretary of Defense before Nov 1, 2026?multi-news-otherNO 95¢5/72,446close after expiration: close_time is >1h after expected_expiration_time (Stage-0 rule)
KXHEGSETHOUT-26AUG-26OCT01Will Pete Hegseth be out as Secretary of Defense before Oct 1, 2026?multi-news-otherNO 99¢1/22,961YES ask 2¢ ≤ 5¢ (Stage-0 rule); NO side would be ≥95¢ = deep-favorite band
KXCBDECISIONMEXICO-26SEP24-HOLDWill the Bank of Mexico Maintain current rate at the September Governischeduled-processNO 3¢97/100537inside 7d: deadline within 7 days of now (Stage-0 rule)
KXCBDECISIONMEXICO-26SEP24-H50PWill the Bank of Mexico Hike more than 50bps at the September Governinscheduled-processNO 100¢0/141,007inside 7d: deadline within 7 days of now (Stage-0 rule)
KXCBDECISIONMEXICO-26SEP24-C50Will the Bank of Mexico Cut 50bps at the September Governing Board meescheduled-processNO 100¢0/68156inside 7d: deadline within 7 days of now (Stage-0 rule)
KXIMPEACH-27-MAR01Will the President be impeached before Mar 1, 2027?legal-actionNO 78¢22/233,003close after expiration: close_time is >1h after expected_expiration_time (Stage-0 rule)
KXIMPEACH-28-JAN01Will the President be impeached before Jan 1, 2028?legal-actionNO 34¢66/671,324close after expiration: close_time is >1h after expected_expiration_time (Stage-0 rule)
KXIMPEACH-27-JAN01Will the President be impeached before Jan 1, 2027?legal-actionNO 97¢3/31,408close after expiration: close_time is >1h after expected_expiration_time (Stage-0 rule)

A further 47 in-horizon markets with volume24h < 100 (Ebola country ladder, Bank of Mexico outer rungs, Suez outer rungs, dormant departure rungs) were cut on volume and are omitted from the table.

7. Risk profile & execution notes

8. Precedents consulted

Store held 162 rows at run time. Rows read: KXKASHOUT-26APR-JUN01, -JUL01 (NO); KXHEGSETHOUT-26APR-JUN01, -JUL01 (NO); KXLUTNICKOUT-26JUL01 (NO); KXTRUMPADMINLEAVE-26DEC31-TGAB (YES); KXLEAVEWALZ, KXLEAVEPOWELLGOV-26JUL01 (NO); KXALITOANNOUNCERETIRE-26JUN-JUL04/JUL06 (NO); KXCBDECISIONCANADA-26JUN-*, -26JUL-* (all holds), -26SEP-H0/H25 (Sep 18 notes on OIS vs Bank trigger); KXFEDDECISION-26JUL-* (hold after hawkish repricing); KXIPOANTHROPIC-DATE-26JUN01, -JUL01 (NO), -26SEP01 (unsettled note); KXIPO-26-SPACEX; KXSUEZWEEKLY-26AUG30-T300, -26SEP06-T290 (PortWatch settlement mechanics). No series rows for KXMILLEROUT, KXCOMPANYACTIONMERGER, KXDJTATTACKWARSH — derived cold.